The Two-Month Well-Baby Visit

Updated: May 7, 2018

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Here's what will happen at your child's two-month well-baby visit, including the physical checkup, developmental milestones and shots.

Let’s face it: Caring for a newborn is exhausting (sleep — what’s that?) and sometimes challenging (um, was that a projectile poop?). But that makes the rewards — the first gummy smile, the first sweet sounds — even more worth it. Wondering what you can expect at the two-month well-baby visit? Here’s a quick look.

The Physical Checkup

Does your baby suddenly seem longer when she’s on the changing table? As your constantly squirming, ever-growing little one exercises her arms and legs, her limbs loosen up and her muscles stretch out, making her appear to have added inches almost overnight.

Of course, the doctor or nurse will measure her during her regular physical exam, so you’ll know for sure — approximately that is, since measuring a wriggly newborn is an imprecise science. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that moms be screened for postpartum depression at this checkup, so ask if you have any questions about your moods or your partner’s.

Developmental Milestones

Your baby’s body and brain are busy these days. Thanks to big strides in how well your little one’s using her senses, she’s much more aware of the huge world around her. Here are some of the developmental milestones the pediatrician may check for or ask about:

Smiling in response to a smile (most likely Mom’s or Dad’s), a.k.a. a “social smile”

Do Milestones Vary If My Baby Was Born Prematurely?

If your baby arrived early enough to require NICU care, she’s already had many more than her share of checkups (and needle jabs, tests and procedures) during her hospital stay. Still, her first in-office pediatrician visit, whenever it comes, will be momentous — and an opportunity to ask all the questions you’ve collected since leaving the comforting round-the-clock care of the NICU. One of the first questions you may have: How will my baby’s development match up to that of her full-term peers?

Generally, development will track according to a preemie’s “adjusted” age — based on the date she was due, not the date she actually arrived (so if she arrived two months early, she will likely reach two-month milestones closer to four months). This developmental gap typically narrows over time and disappears by the second birthday, at which point she’ll be assessed by her birth age.

What about baby’s immunization schedule? This is usually set to her birth age, which means she will probably get her immunizations right on time, no adjustments needed! Check with your baby's doctor if you have concerns or are unclear about your preemie’s immunization schedule.

Immunizations

Needle pricks can look a lot worse than they actually feel. But remember, vaccines will almost always be harder on you than they are for your baby — and a few tears (on baby’s side or yours) are a small price to pay to protect your baby from a vaccine-preventable illnesses. Here are the immunizations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that your baby will receive at two months:

Ask the doctor or nurse to show you how to hold your baby for comfort during vaccinations. Also feel free to ask questions about the vaccines, the diseases they help prevent, and how to care for your baby after vaccinations.

Time to Talk to Your Doctor and Ask Questions

You’ve been writing down all your non-urgent questions for the doctor, right? They really do stack up between visits. At two months, you may be wondering about the following:

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect the First Year. Health information on this site is based on peer-reviewed medical journals and highly respected health organizations and institutions including ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), as well as the What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff.

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What to Expect the First Year, 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.